Is This Man Changing NBA 2K11?

2K Sports has sent along some photos of Snoop Dogg in a mo-cap suit for NBA 2K11. But does he belong in the game?

Developer Visual Concepts NBA 2K series has always prided itself on trying to deliver a sim experience. Now with news that Snoop Dogg is going to be in the game – courtesy of some mo-cap session shots tweeted from 2K Sports' – are things changing? It was one thing to have Michael Jordan as the cover star of your game, but Snoop? What is this, NBA Jam all of a sudden?

While we do not doubt that NBA 2K11 will deliver the same sim-style gameplay it always has, you have to wonder if Snoop is just the tip of the iceberg. Is this just a funny add-on to an otherwise serious franchise, or is the series trying to appeal to a different audience?